Grand Rapids native Ginger Zee, who has been weekend weather anchor on "Good Morning America" for two years, has been promoted to be weekday meteorologist on ABC-TV's morning show. (Photo courtesy ABC-TV)

The Grand Rapids-area native succeeds GMA's Sam Champion, who has been weekday morning weatherman on the ABC-TV morning show since 2006.

"Honored and humbled for my new opportunity at GMA," Zee tweeted this morning. "So happy for Sam Champion as he takes on the world of weather."

ABC News President Ben Sherwood issued a statement at 11 a.m. this morning about Champion's departure and Zee's promotion.

"While there is no replacing Sam, we are in excellent hands with his storm chasing partner of the last few years, meteorologist Ginger Zee, who will take over his weather responsibilities at GMA and across ABC News," Sherwood said. "As you know, Ginger always rushes straight toward the eye of any storm and weaves cutting-edge science with human emotion to elevate our coverage.

Zee, 32, of Belmont, formerly was an anchor at WOOD-TV (Channel 8) in Grand Rapids.
The Rockford High School graduate, engaged to marry WNBC reporter Ben Aaron, is planning a June 2014 wedding in Petoskey.

Last year, Zee was in Grand Rapids during ArtPrize 2012, broadcasting from the Gerald R. Ford Museum during the $560,000 competition and exhibition while she was in West Michigan to be inducted into the Rockford Public School's Hall of Fame.

A former meteorologist at WMAQ-TV in Chicago and WEYI-TV in Flint as well as at 24 Hour News 8, Zee made her debut on "Good Morning America" in November 2011.

Champion, a 25-year veteran of ABC, is expected to become the on-air face of The Weather Channel as well as a managing editor for the channel.

During his tenure at GMA, Champion has broadcast more than 1,800 weather forecasts, according to Sherwood.

"He has traveled to almost every major weather event in the U.S," Sherwood said. "As many of you know, Sam’s “Go” bag is always ready, and his stellar reporting during Superstorm Sandy contributed to ABC’s Peabody Award for coverage of that historic storm.